brotherly

adjective

broth·​er·​ly ˈbrə-t͟hər-lē How to pronounce brotherly (audio)
1
: of or relating to brothers
2
: natural or becoming to brothers : affectionate
brotherly love
brotherliness noun
brotherly adverb

Examples of brotherly in a Sentence

He gave his sister a brotherly hug. He received brotherly support from his fellow priests.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Finalists Photo of two cat siblings touching paws in a precious brotherly moment. Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 July 2025 After the fight, Jeremiah and Conrad's brotherly relationship seems to be destroyed forever. Alexandra Hurtado, People.com, 16 July 2025 His Wireless sets included appearances from U.K. heavyweights like Skepta, Dave, and Central Cee, with whom Drake has cultivated a brotherly rapport in recent years. Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 14 July 2025 The brotherly feud is no secret between the royal family. Stylecaster Editors, StyleCaster, 12 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for brotherly

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of brotherly was before the 12th century

Cite this Entry

“Brotherly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brotherly. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

brotherly

adjective
broth·​er·​ly ˈbrət͟h-ər-lē How to pronounce brotherly (audio)
1
: of or relating to brothers
2
brotherliness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on brotherly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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